WINNIPEG — The pair of Winnipeg police officers credited with saving the lives of residents trapped inside a burning home in the city’s West End shared what they remember about the ordeal Wednesday morning.
Each admitted they didn’t have a lot of time to think, they just acted.
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“I don’t think there’s much training for police as far as fire and that. I think it’s just an instinct thing. Our training is to help people,” said Const. Ashley Thompson. “Ten years ago before I was a cop, I like to think I would have done the same thing.”
Around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, the officers were patrolling the area in the 500 block of Spence Street when they spotted flames. The house porch was engulfed in flames.
Two people had gotten out on their own but others were trapped inside.
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“I tried to get up to the front door. I think I got about one step onto the front but the heat was so intense that we couldn’t get any farther on the front. Worked our way around the back, we could hear people screaming for help at that point,” continued Thompson.
The pair of officers went in and guided several people from different rooms through the heavy smoke and flames.
“The room was filling with a lot of smoke. you could see a lot of clear panic on their faces because they couldn’t get out,” said Const. Trevor Bragnalo.
“I kept kicking at the screen as hard as I could until it smashed a window and the screen flew off. There was a lot of glass.”
Everyone made it out and was treated for smoke inhalation. Damage is estimated at $80,000. The cause is still under investigation.
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